Modern industrial control systems are typically composed of an array of individual control modules that are plugged into a fixed backplane, mounted within a cabinet, and connected to input and output (I/O) modules in one or more locations around an industrial installation or manufacturing facility. As industrial processes have become more complex and the need for distributed control systems increases, local input and output (I/O) modules have been replaced with remote input/output (I/O) drops. This led to an increased need for control modules to be physically located within the plant in multiple locations near the input/output (I/O) drops.
When wiring directly to input/output (I/O) modules within a control system having a fixed backplane, users must place the control system close to the equipment/machinery being controlled in order to minimize material costs (e.g., wire and conduit), installation costs (e.g., pulling the additional wire longer distances, engineering drawings, etc), and maintenance costs (e downtime due to cable cuts/shorts from things like vibration). When expanding input/output (I/O) within an industrial application, more control systems will be needed closer to the machines, which increases installation costs due to the need for more control modules, and associated cabinets, and the like. This adds both cost and complexity because multiple control systems must be interconnected and coordinated. Thus, expansion using current control system with their fixed backplane structure can result in increased expense and inconvenience associated with the need for more rack/cabinet space, because most of the input and output (I/O) modules must be located closer to the equipment that is being monitored and controlled.
During commissioning and operation of an industrial control system, operators need to use multiple discrete devices to debug and run their process or application. Further, in order to perform status, control and maintenance operations, technician/operators also need to utilize multiple discrete tools, personnel and resources. Because industrial control systems are frequently mounted in enclosures in order to protect the equipment and provide security, repeatedly accessing the control system within the enclosure for multiple discrete took, personnel and resources is extremely inefficient.
The use of individual compute boxes mounted on the industrial control system helps to alleviate some of the access issues. However, mounting of the displays for the compute boxes, e.g., liquid crystal displays (LCDs), can be difficult. Mounting a display typically requires multiple installers in order to hold and align the display while the display is being attached by tools, usually by being screwed onto the controller and/or controller cabinet. The difficulty with mounting the displays is exacerbated when installing larger displays. This process makes it difficult to mount and/or remove the displays from the controller and significantly increases the time, cost and convenience of installing and maintaining the displays.
The above-described shortcomings significantly limit the configuration, flexibility, and accessibility of mounting displays within known industrial control systems. Therefore, there remains a need for a system and method for conveniently mounting a display onto a controller of an industrial control system. There also remains a need for a system and method of mounting a display onto an industrial controller that allows an individual installer to complete the installation.